The union minister of communications and development of north eastern region has released the revised guidelines for the Technology Development and Investment Promotion (TDIP) scheme of the Department of Telecommunications, aimed at strengthening India’s participation in global telecom standardisation and accelerating the development of indigenous telecom technologies.
The revised TDIP Scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 2.03 billion for the period 2026-31, has been designed as a comprehensive support framework to enable Indian entities to actively contribute to global standards, promote innovation, and enhance India’s competitiveness in next-generation telecommunications technologies, including 5G Advanced and 6G.
The scheme seeks to enhance India’s representation and influence in leading international telecom standardisation bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), 3GPP and oneM2M. It provides financial support to Indian stakeholders for participation in global meetings, submission of technical contributions, leadership roles in study groups, and hosting of international standardisation events in India.
By enabling sustained and structured engagement with global standards bodies, the scheme aims to position India as a key contributor to the development of future telecom technologies and ensure alignment of domestic innovation with global frameworks.
The scheme also seeks to promote investment and market access for Indian telecom technologies by enabling their integration into globally accepted standards. By supporting Indian contributions in international standardisation processes and facilitating their adoption, the scheme aims to strengthen India’s position from a technology participant to a global standard-setter, while driving creation of intellectual property, enhancing export potential and improving competitiveness of domestic telecom products and solutions.
The revised guidelines significantly expand the scope of the scheme to include startups, micro and small and medium sized enterprises, academia, research institutions, telecom service providers and industry players. This broader inclusion is expected to deepen ecosystem participation and foster collaborative innovation across the telecom value chain. The scheme also supports pilot projects, proof-of-concept initiatives and technology demonstrations to facilitate transition from research to real-world deployment, thereby strengthening the innovation pipeline.
The scheme will be implemented through designated agencies, including the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India, Telecom Centres of Excellence, India and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited, which will facilitate coordination, capacity building and effective utilisation of resources.